Pomona could end year with small revenue increase, decline in expenses

POMONA - The city is expected to conclude the current fiscal year with a slight increase in revenue and a small decrease in expenditures, the city's finance director said Monday.

Early projections indicate the city is expected to end the 2012-13 fiscal year ending June 30 with $79,438,483 a total of $847,826 more than expected, according to a city report.

Expenses are projected to total $78,349,748 or $269,203 less than anticipated.

Although projections call for an increase in revenue, Paula Chamberlain warned the city will face an increase in costs in several areas including employee retirement costs, debt service increases on pension bonds and the city's contract for fire services, which are provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

As part of the midyear budget review the council voted unanimously to amend the city's personnel rules and regulations for the executive management employees.

The move was necessary to lower the salary range for the currently vacant position of public works director.

Council members reduced the range from $128,291 to $171,923 to a range of $116,224 to $155,754, according to the report.

Mayor Elliott Rothman said the city is currently operating with the help of an interim public works director.

City Manager Linda Lowry said because the interim public works director is a retiree there is a limit on the number of hours he can work.

Councilwoman Paula Lantz said that relying on an hourly employee would involve constant turnover.

"I don't think we want six months of one person, six months of another and six months of another," she said.

Council members also opted to postpone addressing a proposal to add a code compliance inspector to the Community Development staff.

The city received $100,000 from Valley Vista Services that would be used to pay for the salary, benefits and vehicle the employee would use in the course of his or her work monitoring certain businesses including those that handle waste and the Ninth Street transfer station approved last summer.

Valley Vista is the proponent of the transfer station's construction.

The funding was a requirement of a conditional use permit for the project, which is at a standstill as a result of a lawsuit filed by United Voices of Pomona which is seeking to stop the project.

Councilman John Nolte said he thought it wouldn't be prudent to use the money until the matter had been addressed by the courts.

Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa said she was uncomfortable using the money.

If spent "we are giving tacit approval" of the project, she said, adding it's a project she did not support.

During the budget presentation Carrizosa said it is necessary to keep an eye on costs and limit hiring personnel to fill the most critical positions. Purchases should be limited as well, she said.

The city must still find a way to add library hours and to do so it must control costs, Carrizosa said.

Last year in an effort to reduce costs the City Council approved a reduction of the already limited library hours.

City residents worked in support of Measure X, a property tax proposal designed to raise money for the library's operation.

A majority of those who cast votes in the election voted in support of the measure but not enough to meet the necessary two-thirds threshold for it to pass.

Carrizosa and Lantz said after the election the support the measure received was a sign of the public's interest and support for the library.